Fastening device



Aug. 31, 1954 G. F. CHALFONT I'AL FASTENING DEVICE Filed March 5, 19.45

Patented Aug. 31, 1954 i e UNITED STATES PATENT oFEicE FASTENIN G DEVICE Guy F. Chalfont, Rocky River, and Charles H. Judd and George A. Tinnerman, Cleveland, Ohio, assignors to Tinnerman Products, Inc.,` Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application March 5, 1945, Serial No. 581,070 9 Claims. `(Cl. 8511) This invention relates to a fastening device f edges of the point portion, as indicated at l5,

the type generically known as a self-clinching Fig. 1. The concaving `of the triangular end nail, comprising a member so formed that it may portion of this leg throws the upper end of the be driven through a support and will automaticalcurved part outwardly beyond the plane of the 1y clinch itself on the inner side of the support, 5 web as shown at i6.

thereby being adapted to attach an object per- The secondary leg comprises a relatively manently to the support. narrow strip lying between the side anges l2 of A primary object of the invention isto provide the primary leg and having a tongue 2l extenda device of the character stated which while being through the primary leg and anchored thereing very light will be effective in automatically 10 to. As shown the anchorage is effected by makpreventing any inadvertent loosening of the l5 narrow neck 22 then caused to occupy a narrowed fastener. upper portionof the opening `with the end `23 Anotheryobject of the invention is to provide overhanging the outer face of the web as shown `such fastening device so formed that it may be in Fig. 2.

manufactured from sheet material, and still will The portion of the device which connects e two legs and is integrally formed therewith object is to provide such a fastener in a form comprises an area of sheet material doubled on `enabling it to be made by simple stamping and itself to provide anupper arm 3| integral with the bending operations from a single piece of sheet leg l0, e IOWel erm 32 integral With the leg 20 material. and a bent portion 33, Figs 1 to 5 or 33a, Fig 6,

Our invention is hereinafter more fully ex- 25 COnneCting the upper and 10We1 arms of this plained in connection with a preferred embodiheed Integral C0nne0ti0n 0f the arm 3| Wlth ment illustrated in the drawings and the essential the leg I0 1S by a portlon 35 of reduced width novel features are summarized in the claims. Whlh JOlnS the Web 0f the mam leg l0 The form of our device; Fig.2 is a perspective of the 30 leg 2U is likewise e neIIOWed bent DOItiOn, as same device looking from the opposite side thereshOWn at 3l, Fg- 3. The erm 32 preferably `00nof; Fig. 3 is a separated perspective of two portinLleS beyond the `legr 20 in the form of projections of the integral device shown in Figs. 1 and tions 38 which extend across and beyond the side 2, before the `iinal formation thereof; Fig. 4 is a flanges |'2 0f the leg l0, as shown. longitudinal section of the device indicated by FOIIned 0n the tWO Side flanges 0f the leg l0 the line 4-4 on Fig. 1, showing it in position are a pair of integral tongues I8 which are bent passing through a suitable support and a member over onto the outer side of the leg 20 within the to be attached before the nal clinching opera- `Ch-'innel `0f the legl l0, thus returning that leg tion; Fig. 5 is a cross` section of the device as within the channel at the head end of the device. iinally positioned on the support; Fig. 6 is a 40 ,'Iflleleteinng Wings I3 01` the leg `l0 are S0 modified form of the device, inished` these bent Wings lie against` the underour fastening device, whi1e being a single inte- Surface 0f the underarm 0f the head. `This pregrel piece, may be Considered as comprising a vents the underarm of" the head inadvertently main leg l0, a shorter secondary leg 20, and a loop being InOVed dOWnWeldly, thereby inadvertently having a substantially nai; longitudinal web sdrven into place l and two edge anges l2, these iianges lying in Formed 0n the Web 0f the primary leg is l2 are gradually cut off as they lead to the curved 55 The flanges of the member l0 are weakened a short distance above the projection I9 to localize the region of bending. In some of the claims the weakening portion is stated to be effectively between and head portion and the interlock formed of the tongue 2| in the opening I'I. This means that the interlock is positioned so that it will act against a portion of the leg mass which mass lies below the weakening to bend such leg mass laterally when the head is collapsed. This weakening is readily effected by cutting V- shaped notches I2a. in the flanges I2.

The connecting bend 33 of Figs. l to 5 is weakened by means of a slot 33h cut through the crest of the bend as shown in those views. In the construction of Fig. 6, the connecting portion between the two arms of the head 33aJ is sulciently narrow so that that region of the head is materially weaker than elsewhere.

The device described is readily made out of a single narrow strip of sheet material, preferably spring steel. The blank is out to shape and then formed and flanged as illustrated in Fig. 3. The tongue 2I on the secondary leg is then passed through the larger portion of the opening I'I and shoved upwardly so that the head 23 lies back of the web of the leg I0, then the wings I8 on the anges I2 are bent over onto the outer side of the secondary leg.

The forming operations described produce such a device as shown in Figs. l, 2 and 4. It will be seen that in this device the projection I9 on Ythe main leg bears against the secondary leg and holds it slightly spread from the main leg with the head 23 on the tongue in engagement with the outer face of the web II on the main leg. This insures the main leg bending in the desired direction in the final sealing of the device as hereinafter explained.

In Figs. 4 and 5, we have indicated at A, suitable supporting member and at B a member or plate adapted to be attached. In applying my selfclinching nail to such members, its point is placed against or passed through the member to be attached and then it is driven as by a hammer blow through the support. Such hammer acts against the flat outer face 3I of the head as indicated by the dotted lines C in Figs. 4 and 5.

The fastening device retains its form as it is being driven into place until the inner member 32 of the head comes to a stop by engaging the outer face of the member to be attached. Fig. 4 indicates the condition at this time. Now as the hammer blows continue, the head is flattened thereby and the main leg moves farther through the support, but the secondary leg, being now anchored at its upper end by the head arm 32, cannot move downward. Accordingly, as the longer leg passes downwardly the part thereof beyond the tongue 2| of the supplemental leg is held from further longitudinal movement and hence this part bends laterally. The weakening of the main leg flanges at I2C!l allows such lateral bending in the direction toward the secondary leg, and the tendency to bend in this direction is increased by the projection I9 forcing the secondary leg to be spread slightly from the primary leg as shown in Fig. 4.

The result is that immediately after the head has engaged the article to be attached the portion of the main leg beyond the support bends laterally and by reason of its intermediate anchorage by the head 23 on the secondary leg is caused to assume a position projecting more or less nearly at right anges to the shank of the of sheet material and comprising main leg. The iinal position of the inner portion of the main leg is indicated in Fig. 5.

When the nail is driven through a support A which has a thickness bearing such ratio to the length of the nail as shown in Fig. 4, the end portion of the nail in the final position will be embedded in the inner the support, as indicated at a. in Fig. 5. In use, one of our nails will be selected of a length bearing a proper relation to the thickness of the support into which it is to be driven. However, considerable latitude is allowed, as the device will hold itself firmly in place if the support is thinner than that indicated and the nail bent more acutely on itself, or is thicker than that shown and the bent end of the nail bears merely against the rear surface of the support without becoming embedded therein.

With the embodiment of Fig. 6 the operation is identical with that described. In each case the ready flattening of the return-bent head of the fastener under the hammer blows is insured by the weakening of the bend.

We claim:

l. A fastening device comprising a longV leg formed with a web and edge flanges to give it a longitudinal channel shape, a short leg narrower than the long leg seated in the channel thereof, a loop of material bent on itself to provide outer and inner arms, the outer arm of the loop being connected to the long leg and the inner arm to the short leg, the end portion of the short leg being connected to an intermediate region of the the flanges on the long leg being weakened above such connection, whereby the long leg is caused to be bent as the head of the device is collapsed.

2. A fastening device made of a single strip eg having edge flanges providing a channel-shaped body, one end of the body being tapered to bring it to a point, a secondary shorter leg narrower than the main leg lying between the flanges thereof, a return bent portion forming a head and having two arms connected to the other ends of the legs, said return bent portion being weakened at the bend, the inner end of the short leg having a tongue projecting through an opening in the long main leg with a head on the tongue beyond the long leg, a pair of wings on flanges of the long leg bent across the short leg adjacent the return bend, and a projection on the long leg between the flanges bearing against the short leg to spread its inner end from the long leg, the flanges being weakened in the general vicinity of the projection, whereby when the device is forced into the work until the inner arm of the collapsible head engages the work, furtherl movement of the long leg coincident with the collapsing of the head causes the long leg to be bent transversely of the short leg and to extend across and beyond it.

3. A fastening device having a pair of legs of different length lying alongside of each other, one leg having edge anges providing a channel in which the other leg is seated, a collapsible portion connecting an end of the two legs, said flanges having notches to weaken them in an intermediate region, and the short leg having a tongue extending through an opening between the edge flanges in an intermediate region of the long leg.

4. A fastening device made of a single piece of sheet material bent to provide a pair of legs of different length and an intermediate connecting 2,687,666 6 portion, the long leg having edge ilanges providreceiving the other leg therein, the long leg having a channel in which the short leg is seated ing an opening therein and the other having and said shoit leg having an integral portion a tongue, said opening and tongue being spaced extending through and engaging an opening befrom the collapsible head portion and disposed tween the edge ilanges in an intermediate region 5 opposite each other and providing an interlock of the long leg, the flanges of the long leg being etween sald legs, and one of said legs having a weakened above the region of engagement weakened portion therein, said weakened portion of each other and a collapsible head connected operating when the collapsible head portion is long leg, and a projection on the long leg bear- 8. The fastener of claim 7 wherein wings are ing against the short leg above the engagement provided on one of the legs and are bent around to spread the lower portion of the short leg from the other leg to retain the two legs adjacent each the long leg. other.

6. A fastening device made of `an integral strip 9. The fastener of claim 7 wherein the opening bent to provide a main leg of channel-shape, a in one of the legs has a restricted portion and secondary leg lying within the channel of the wherein wings are provided on one of the legs main leg embracing the secondary leg to hold the two legs together, a projection on the main leg References Cited in the le of this patent engaging the lower portion of the secondary leg UNITED STATES PATENTS h g beneath the proiection having a tongue por- Iullfm Hanlsne A rgatelglg tion extending through an aligned opening be- 1230876 Doerschul; "J 11:1 3U 1917 tween the flanges in the main leg to establish an 13'36162 R0 er ik e 6 1920 anchorage, and the flanges on the main leg weaky pr' 2,222,338 Roberts Nov. 1.9, 1940 ened above such anchorage.

2,427,959 Gisondi Sept. 23 1947 integral fastener comprismg two legs of 2 498 6.27 Hallock Feb 21 1950 3f i 1 unequal length Connected together at one end oi' 0 2,567,935 Hallock Sept 18, 1951 

